Dallas Cop Shoots And Kills Man After Allegedly Entering His Apartment Thinking It Was Her Own

The off-duty Dallas police officer who killed a Black man in his own apartment, claiming she mistook it for her own, has been identified.

Amber Guyger is a four-year veteran of the Dallas PD. After her shift last Thursday, she returned to her apartment building across from the Dallas Police Department’s headquarters. But instead of going to her own unit, Guyger went to that of her neighbor, 26-year-old Botham Shem Jean. When he opened the door, she shot him, thinking he was an intruder.

Dallas Police Department stated that Guyger was extremely tired after working a 12-hour overtime shift when the incident occurred.

Mr. Jean, who was 26 years old, was immediately taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Ms. Guyger was previously involved in a police shooting in 2017, for which she was not indicted.

After Thursday night’s shooting, Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall said in a news conference, “We were dealing with what appears to be a very unique situation.” The Police department is seeking a manslaughter charge against Guyger. The case has been turned over to the Texas Rangers, which is the state’s uppermost law enforcement agency.

As yet another African American man slain by police, the incident has of course ignited debates about the interplay between race and policing. Social media users immediately began expressing their grief over Mr. Jean, who hailed from St. Lucia, sharing biographical details about the beloved young man, and sharing their anger over what seems to be yet another baseless use of excessive force.

Harding University, a small college in Arkansas that was Jean’s alma mater, posted a moving tribute to him as well.

And by all accounts, Jean was a warm, beloved person, whose loss is being deeply felt by his community and those who knew him:

For her part, officer Guyger is said to be distraught about the incident:

It is unknown if Guyger will be charged at this time, as the Texas Rangers have asked for more time to investigate the shooting.